


The Life Swap

by impravidus



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Identity Reveal, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 15:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impravidus/pseuds/impravidus
Summary: Thomas Dupain was a fashion mogul that every household was familiar with. The Dupain name could be found in sports shoes, luxury purses, and swim wear. The face of the brand was his teen daughter, Marinette Dupain. Every girl in France wanted to be her, and every guy wanted to be with her. Gabriel and Emilie Agreste own “Gabe and Emilie’s Boulangerie Patisserie.” Their son, Adrien, is the light of their life.What happens when the Adrien and Marinette we know suddenly wake up in each other’s lives?





	1. The Switch

For the first time in a long while, Marinette didn’t sleep through the sound of her alarm. In fact, she felt quite refreshed and awake. What time was it?

Marinette rolled over to check her phone that read 6:31. When had she ever woken up this early? Other than a morning akuma, really never.

She didn’t groan as she got up. She didn’t feel groggy or even sleep deprived. She felt alert and like her senses were heightened. However, her head felt quite heavy. As she went to pull her hair in messy pigtails, she felt the long black locks that cascaded down her back.

When did her hair get this long?

She took a good look at her room and realized quite quickly that this definitely wasn’t hers. The gigantic room felt empty, and was filled with expensive decor that she worried she could break with a simple touch. The walls were a pastel pink like her old room, but from the ceiling hung a giant chandelier, and around the room was couture furniture that felt so out of place with the stuffed animals littered on them.

“Tikki?” She called out. Relieved, her kwami came out, phasing through the walls of the dollhouse next to the silk king bed.

“Yes Marinette?” The bewildered girl took another look around her room.

“Where am I?” The kwami gazed at the girl, concerned.

“You’re in your room.” Marinette shook her head.

“No it’s not. What… when did my hair get so long? God I’m so hungry. I need something to eat. I could really use a croissant.” Before the kwami could respond, she flew into the dollhouse hearing approaching footsteps. A dark haired woman with glasses entered the room.

“Good morning, Marinette. I’m glad you’re awake. Breakfast is in an hour. I expect you to be showered and ready by then?” Marinette nodded.

“I will. Thank you.” The woman closed the door on her way out. Marinette went to the bathroom attached to the room, looking in the mirror.

Nothing seemed differently rather than her long hair. Her face seemed more angular; her cheekbones were sharper and her jawline was more pronounced. This bathroom was much nicer than any other bathroom she had been in before. The shower was encased in gold and glass, and the sink was surrounded by white porcelain. Realizing that she wasn’t going to get any answers standing there, she decided to get ready.

When she finally found the dining room of the mansion, the woman from earlier waited patiently with a clipboard. 

“Here is your breakfast, Marinette. Please take a seat so we can go over your schedule.” Marinette sat down, excited to get some food in her empty stomach, but was disappointed to see a green fruit juice and a bowl of oatmeal and even more fruit. Sighing, knowing she wouldn’t ask for something else, she took a bite of the mushy oats. Surprisingly, she enjoyed it immensely.

“You have school from 8 to 16, then you have fencing practice after school. You’ll have a half an hour to freshen up before your piano lesson at 17:30 until 18. Then you have a photoshoot from 18:30 to 20:00. This is for the big winter catalogue, so it is imperative you are fully focused tonight. Understood?” Marinette nodded, not wanting to answer with a mouthful of strawberry. “Good. François will be here to take you to school in twenty five minutes. In the meantime, put some makeup on. You are representing the Dupain fashion line.” And then she exited.

Dupain fashion line? The more Marinette started to think about it, the more this schedule sounded familiar. The fencing. The modeling. Was she…?

 

Down the street, a groggy Adrien slowly opened his eyes. Why was his ceiling so close to his face?

He looked around and immediately woke up. This wasn’t his room. Before he could register what was going on he heard a feminine voice call up,

“Adrien! You better hurry up! You’re going to be late to school!” He froze. Was that? No it couldn’t be she’s…

Going through the hatch in the floor, he went down to where he heard the voice. 

There, standing at the unfamiliar kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee.

“Mother?” He called out weakly. She chuckled.

“Adrien, come on, get dressed. You’ve got fifteen minutes. I know it only takes you five minutes, but don’t you you want to look nice for that girl in your class you’re always gushing about?” Every step he took felt heavy and in slow motion as he ran to her. Embracing her in a tight hug, she laughed.

“What’s all this love for, bud? Although I’ll never say no to your hugs.” He looked at her, knowing he just felt her in his arms. He really felt her there.

“I just… you’re here. You’re not…” she frowned.

“Did you have one of those nightmares again? I know you get so worked up after you and Nino watch those scary movies.” He gulped and nodded, smiling softly.

“Y-yeah. One of those scary movies. I… I should go get dressed.” She smiled and ruffled his hair.

“See you later, champ.”

Going back to the room that wasn’t his, he closed the hatch and sat down.

“Kid, what’s wrong with you? You know how that teacher of yours feels when you’re late.” Adrien couldn’t think of a response to say. He just stared.

“She’s alive, Plagg. I don’t know how. I don’t want to know how. But she’s here and she’s alive and…” 

“What are you talking about?” Adrien looked to the floating kwami.

“She was dead, Plagg. She has been for… and now she’s…” Plagg sighed.

“Listen, we can talk about whatever this is later, but you need to get ready and get me some camembert.”

 

When Adrien had fully went downstairs, he recognized where he was. He was in the Dupain-Cheng patisserie. Except, at the register was his father and mother, laughing and… smiling. He was smiling. He hadn’t seen his father smile in so long.

“Father, mother…” The blonde man smiled.

“Father? Haven’t heard that one before. So proper, Adrien.” He rolled the r in proper and jokingly curtsied.

“Uhm sorry uh papa. I’m gonna go head to school now.” The man nodded.

“And don’t forget. You promised to work a shift after school.” He nodded.

“Will do.” As he walked out, his body felt numb. Where was he?

He knew his way to the school, and he noticed a familiar limousine drive past him.

If he’s here, then does that mean…

The only way he would get answers is going to class and seeing her in person, so he jogged to Collège Françoise Dupont.

 

When Marinette arrived to class, everything felt normal. Everything seemed normal. That was until Chloe Bourgois waved to Marinette, pulling her to the seat next to her.

“Okay you are not going to believe it, but I finally got the nerve up to ask Sabrina on a date.” Marinette’s eyebrows shot up.

“Oh?” Was all she could muster up.

“She was really flustered and she said yes! We are going to watch Love Me If You Dare at mine. I’ll make popcorn and get those cookies she likes from the bakery and maybe get her some flowers and we’ll watch the love movie and it’ll just help the romance bloom and everything will be perfect!” Marinette continued to hype up the blonde girl, but really she was torn. If Marinette is really in Adrien Agreste’s life, then that means she is Chloe’s childhood best friend. And if it was her instead of Adrien, Chloe wouldn’t have a pining crush on him, but a great friendship with her. Chloe tapped Marinette’s hand. 

“Okay don’t look now, but Adrien is totally staring at you again.” Marinette turned to the door to see that he was indeed intensely staring at her. He gave her look that could only read “we need to talk” and he sat down next to Nino.

Neither Marinette nor Adrien could focus all of class.


	2. Questions

When the bell rang for lunch, Adrien gave Nino a quick “I’ll catch up with you later. I’m going to get a bite from the bakery” as he stood and waited for Marinette outside of the door. When she came out, he pulled her by the hand, suddenly feeling extremely flustered and nervous.

“Adrien, here isn’t the best place. Maybe we should go somewhere more private?” He nodded, struggling to think of words.

 

As they walked to bakery, Adrien nor Marinette could think of anything to say. The first thing that Marinette noticed was that Adrien was wearing sweatpants. She had never seen him wear sweatpants before. Adrien on the other hand couldn’t stop looking at Marinette. He didn’t know if it was the pink dress that showed off how beautiful her figure was, or how her makeup eventuated her blue eyes, but his heart fluttered in a way he had only felt for Ladybug. 

When they entered the bakery, Marinette immediately felt uncomfortable. It was so similar yet so different to her parent’s. The bakery was quite busy, it being lunch time, so the two sneaked off to Adrien’s new room. 

As Marinette took a look around, she shuddered. This was so weird. 

“So…” Adrien started.

“Right. The… the uh… the this.” Marinette stated awkwardly. 

“Do you have any idea what happened?” She shook her head. “Maybe it’s a dream?” She pinched him. “Ow! Okay it’s not a dream. Maybe we’re in an alternate universe.” 

“And how did we get here?” He shrugged.

“Akuma?” She nodded, trying to piece together any clues they had.

“Akuma would make sense. Their powers have been getting pretty strong. But sending us to a completely different universe? How would that help Hawkmoth. And why you? I understand why I… I mean because I usually have to go with Alya to akuma attacks, but you are never around them. You’re usually the one to take people to safety.” He knew he couldn’t say the real reason he was probably hit by the akuma’s blast.

“Well in the meantime while we are here, we have to play the parts. I-I-I mean we have to you know be each other get in each others shoes not like actual shoes but like the metaphorical shoes of life.” Adrien laughed nervously. Marinette cringed. Is that really what she sounded like to him? Wait does that mean in this universe he… 

That’s not important. What’s important is learning what it’s like to be Adrien Agreste.

“Who was that woman with the clipboard?” 

“That’s Nathalie. She is father’s assistant. She helps with my schedule and keeping everything on track in my life. She is basically the parent my father can’t be for me, since he’s so busy.” She nodded, trying to hide her concern. 

“How do you model?” He chuckled.

“I think you’ll get the hang of it. If we really are in each other’s lives, then you probably have all of that experience deep down.” She nodded again. For some reason, she didn’t feel the need to respond as much. She didn’t really know how. She just felt more reserved.

“So the fencing and the mandarin and the piano, do you think I’ll just know that too?” He shrugged.

“Maybe. Who knows how this world works.”

“Well I really don’t think I have anything you need to know. For any class representative stuff you can just come to me for help. With the bakery I usually just work the cash register which is really easy. The screen does all the math for you. To be honest, I really don’t do much.” She didn’t like how bland her life seemed compared to his.

“Well uh I think we will have to have to uh hang out more so we can uh make sure we aren’t doing something wrong in each other’s lives so maybe we could have an up cover uh cover up.” Marinette furrowed her eyebrows.

“What do you mean?” He gulped.

“Maybe we should uh have an excuse of why we are spending so much time together. Like say we are a a a couple.” She nodded, thinking about the prospects of fake dating Adrien. Something in her knew that she dreamed of this moment, but right now, she didn’t feel anything. 

“That could work. So, we are dating?” She put out her hand for him to shook. He awkwardly took her hand and shook it but lingering a little too long. She pulled away, now feeling flustered.

“We should grab something to eat before we before we get back to class.” They both looked at each other for a little longer before going to the kitchen for a quick bite.

Marinette was about to grab a chocolate chip croissant, but Adrien took a sharp breath in.

“You said you have a photoshoot tonight?” She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

“Yeah, why?” He sighed.

“Well it’s just, a chocolate chip croissant is 237 calories, but you get equally full from one apple which is 95 calories. Plus the gluten will show in your stomach but the apple won’t. And if you drink a water bottle or two it’ll make you feel even more full. A little cucumber in your water helps with weight loss, gives you good antioxidants, and makes it a little tastier.” Marinette frowned. Did he really have to think this much whenever he ate?

“Yeah I get it. Modeling is more important than my cravings. I’ll get an apple. You can get whatever you want.” He smiles apologetically. 

“Wow. Can I make this Crafts mac and cheese? I haven’t had this since I was young!” Marinette smiled.

“This is your house now, Adrien. Have whatever you want.” Marinette was already feeling extremely overwhelmed by these big changes in her life, but seeing Adrien so genuinely giddy about little things made her feel better. 

“How do I make it?” He asked, looking so innocent with the childlike wonder in his eyes.

“Have you never made mac and cheese before?” He shook his head.

“I mean, I’ve always had people to make my food. C-could you maybe help me?” She smiled softly. 

“Of course I will.” She searched in the cupboards to find a pot and began to fill it with water and placed it on the burner. Adrien, eager to help, tried to pour the pasta into the pot. “No no wait. You have to wait for the water to boil.” He tried his best to take any knowledge from cooking shows and tasty videos to understand.

“It takes like five to ten minutes to boil so I’m just gonna eat my apple. Do you want to put on some music or something?” He nodded, taking his phone out of his pocket.

“You like Jagged Stone stuff right?” She pursed her lips.

“Actually I could really go for something softer.” He just nodded silently in response and put on some piano. If she had his tastes, then she would like that. 

They sat in comfortable quiet, the only sound coming from the crunch of her apple and the slowly bubbling water in the pot.

“So…” Adrien started not really knowing where he was going with it. “Well uh actually, it was kind of strange. When I woke up, I was still Adrien Agreste. My parents were my parents. Does that mean that they are really our parents or our parents who are really each other’s parents?” Marinette looked at him, confused.

“I’m not really sure. I haven’t seen Papa at all.” Adrien’s excitement died.

“Right. You… you won’t be seeing him much. If he’s really like my father, that is. Oh, and Marinette, if this is really like my life, then your mother, she’s…” he paused. “She’s not with us anymore.” Marinette’s world stopped. It was like every breath she took made the weights crushing in on her tighten. The feeling that each blink sent her deeper in the quicksand, suffocating her and making it harder to breathe. He turned her shoulders so she was facing him.

“Marinette. You have to calm down, okay? Take a deep breath.” He counted to four. “Now hold it.” He counted to seven. “And let it out slowly.” He counted to eight. “My therapist taught me to do that whenever I’d have panic attacks after she… after I found out.” She continued to breathe that way and found her body feeling lighter and looser. When she could finally get out words, she quietly said,

“The water is boiling. You can put the pasta in.” Adrien wanted to say so many things. He wanted to do something, anything. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything will be alright when they fix the world. He wanted to tell her that she was strong and she was the most amazing girl he knew. He wanted to tell her she meant the world to him and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. But he didn’t. He went to the water and he carefully poured in the pasta and gave it a quick stir and went to sit next to her.

“Please don’t get this close to me. It’s making me nervous and I don’t know why.” Adrien knew why. It was because he was much taller than her. It was because he was a guy. And now that she’s already feeling so out of body and her world has been flipped upside down just like his did, she doesn’t feel safe and he couldn’t make her feel safe. There wasn’t anything he could do because there was nothing anyone could do for him when this happened to him. 

Marinette knew this world wasn’t the world she knew. She knew that the Sabine Dupain here wasn’t her mother. She knew that back home, she was still there, waiting for her to get home with a warm plate of cookies ready for her. But none of that mattered. Logic and reason isn’t what comes to mind when you find out that in the life you’re now living, your mother has been dead for the last three years. 

“Did you set the timer for twelve minutes?” She whispered. He looked up, not expecting her to come out from her catatonic state so soon.

“Uh no, I didn’t. I’ll just go taste the pasta and see if it’s soft.” She barely nodded.

“Blow on it so you don’t burn your tongue.” He smiled, his eyes sad.

“I will.” The pasta was very soft so he got a strainer and poured the pasta in it. Reading the box, he added the milk. Marinette had creeped up behind him and quietly put a stick of Velveeta cheese on the table.

“Instead of the cheese they give you, use this. If this is the first time you’re having mac and cheese in a while, this’ll just… its better.” He nodded, giving her another sad smile, and mixed in the cheese until it melted.

He shoveled the mac and cheese into his mouth, enjoying each bite of the savory and heart stoppingly unhealthy treat. 

“It won’t hurt if you have a bite, Mari. You need it.” She went to grab the spoon, but her hands were so weak that she dropped the spoon. Adrien noticed this and grabbed the cold metal utensil, feeding the bite to her.

“Thank you, Adrien. For being here. For not freaking out about this. I know this kind of stuff is pretty crazy. Akumas are… they’re… I don’t know what to say. Just, thanks.” Adrien stopped eating the mac and cheese and put a hand on Marinette’s arm.

“I’m always going to be here for you. We are in this together. Know that, okay?” She felt her world stop as she looked into his bright green eyes. They gave her hope.

“I know.”


	3. Souffleur de Feuilles

By the time Adrien and Marinette got back to class, Marinette’s eyes were puffy from tears and she was feeling detached from everything around her. When Chloe saw her best friend, she immediately stood up, ready for confrontation.

“Agreste, what did you do?” Marinette shook her head.

“Chloe, really…” The blonde girl crossed her arms over her chest.

“No, Mari. I want to talk to him. I want him to explain to me why he came in here after he’s obviously made you cry looking all guilty.” He sighed, coming up with a lie closest to the truth.

“We were having lunch together and I brought up her maman. It was obviously a subject too close to home.” She clenched her jaw.

“And what made you think bringing up something like that was a good idea?” Marinette went in between the two, grabbing Chloe’s hand, something she usually did to calm down Alya.

“We were getting to know each other. That’s all.” She leaned in. “I really like him, Chloe. Please support this.” Chloe softened.

“I’ve got my eye on you, Agreste. You better not fuck this up.” Chloe went back to her seat, Marinette following and giving Adrien an apologetic look.

Before everyone could settle in, a giant wind broke through the windows of the school, sending all of the students flying against the opposite wall. They all groaned from the impact. Marinette and Adrien both ran out of the classroom, despite their aching muscles. 

Adrien in the utility closet and Marinette in the girl’s restroom, they called out to their kwamis, “Plagg/Tikki, transform me!” Something felt different for the two heroes, but they didn’t have time to ponder the minor changes in the universe, because they had an akuma to fight.

When they arrived at the park, they saw a slender woman encased in an orange and black armor, blowing all of the leaves on the ground and in the trees into a giant tornado. When she spotted the two superheroes, she sent the leaves flying towards them, the quick slice of thin and sharp leaves leaving thin paper-cut like wounds all over Ladybug and Chat Noir.

They didn’t let this effect their fighting and continued to dodge the streams of leaves.

“Chat! What are we going to do if we can’t even see the akuma behind these leaves?” She called out.

“Use your Lucky Charm!” Suddenly, a black and green item appeared in his hand. Confused, he felt the world go in slow motion as he looked around. Everything was in black and white and the only things in color were the leaves. He looked down at the item and realized that it was a flamethrower. “It uh it looks like we have to set these leaves on fire! The akuma can only control pre-existing leaves.” Ladybug, still taken aback by what was going on, nodded nervously.

“But that’s going to create a giant fire storm!” The leaf tornado continued to grow.

“Just step back! This will be over quick!” Before she could disagree, the sky was filled with a quick fire, and then ash rained over them, uncovering the akuma behind it. “Quick, the akuma is in the leaf blower!” She ran and knocked the leaf blower out of the akuma’s hands and began running.

“Okay uh Cataclysm!” Nothing happened. “Sabugtage? Squash? Exterminate?” The item disappeared into a cloud of ladybugs. “Well that’s new.” The akuma went flying out from the item but all she could do was trap it in her yoyo, not de-evilize it. Running to go find Chat she gave him the yo-yo.

“Chat, you have to make the akuma pure again.” He looked at her, equally confused by what’s going on. Quickly, he extended his baton out, and the akuma flew in, going out the other side a butterfly. As his ring beeped its last warning beep, he turned to her.

“We will talk about this later.” She nodded, suddenly feeling speechless taking in his tousled blonde hair and green cat eyes.

“We will later talk yes talk later… yes.” They both ran back to the school, trying to avoid running into each other.

 

Entering the empty classroom, the two were surprised to see they were the only ones there.

“Hey Marinette. Do you know where everyone is?” She shook her head.

“They must’ve gone home after that hit from the akuma. That was a hard blow against the wall.” He nodded and then paused in realization.

“Oh my gosh are you okay from that? You’re so much lighter than me you must’ve hit it with a faster acceleration and a harder impact.” She smiled.

“I’m really fine. Thank you. I should really head back home. Maybe you could help me prepare for the photoshoot tonight?” He looked concerned.

“Would your father…” she shrugged.

“We will never know if we don’t try. Worst case scenario, you have to leave.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Actually worst case scenario, he bans you from ever talking to me again because you snuck a boy in the mansion without his permission.” She sighed.

“Then let’s make an excuse. Say that I’m helping you catch up with class you missed because you were sick.” He pursed his lips.

“That could work. Let’s have some work out from the last couple of classes just in case Nathalie comes in. If she sees that we are doing modeling things, we could say we were taking a break.” She nodded and grabbed her things from her desk.

 

“Okay let’s see how you interpret some modeling jargon. Do you have to go to the photoshoot camera ready?” She shook her head.

“They’re doing my makeup and hair there.” He gave her a thumbs up.

“Okay pose for me. Bounce the shoulders. Chin out and down. Ballet hands. Cheat to the right. More fire in the eyes. Open your mouth. No no, slightly.” Marinette followed each of his commands with ease and Adrien felt the air blown out of him looking at Marinette in a way he’d never seen her before. Around him she was so shy and quiet but now she was the only girl in the room and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Th-that’s great. You’re beautiful. I mean uh you’ll look great on the cameras!” She blushed.

“That means a lot coming from you.” He smiled a genuine smile.

“Honestly, you’re going to do a fantastic job tonight. There’s no doubt about it.” She nodded.

“That took a lot less time than I expected, but I really should have you get going. I have other stuff to do before my photoshoot. School, you know?” He was disappointed but still smiled.

“Yeah that’s fine. My parents are probably…” he gasped. “Oh crap I told them I’d do a shift at the bakery. I really have to go. Bye Marinette!” And he ran out.

 

Out of breath from the run, Adrien went to the back of the bakery and threw on an apron. His father, eyes crinkling as he smiled, pat Adrien on the back.

“Good timing, son! The after school rush is just starting. You can be our runner and refill the displays as needed.” Adrien started to worry, because he didn’t know where anything was, but as his father told him “more bonbons!” or “a box of macarons” he found himself on autopilot, going back and forth from the back kitchen with new pastries. Even with all the focus on working well, he got to joke with his father and mother between the rushes of customers. He got the bonding from the loving parents he so desperately needed. 

When they closed down the bakery, he asked his parents nervously, “can we have supper together?” They laughed.

“When do we not? Don’t worry, I’ve got something good planned tonight,” his mother responded. “Why don’t you go and finish your homework, and I’ll call you down.” He shook his head.

“Uh actually. I was hoping I could help you with supper tonight?” She smiled.

“Trying to learn how to cook? Maybe so you can cook for somebody?” She wiggled her shoulders. 

“Actually I just want to spend some time with you. I feel like I don’t get to enough.” Seeing his mother so bright and excited by his words, Adrien followed eagerly to the kitchen.

“Tonight we are going for some Italian food.” Emilie started to take out ingredients from the fridge and pantry as she spoke. “I was thinking some meat sauce with spaghetti. If you could start boiling the water for the spaghetti in one of the bigger pots, that would be great. Add some salt in there too!” He nodded and did as she said. “Now meat sauce needs ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal. You need to mix and cook that first. Then you need some onions, celery and some garlic. After that you’d add some italian diced tomatoes and a can of tomato paste so it’s a sauce. Finish with a cup of milk and a cup and a half cup of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in some Italian seasoning and there’s your meat sauce.” Adrien took in everything she said, nodding.

“Could you oil up a pan for me? That’d be a big help to set everything up.” Adrien laughed and cooked with his mom for the next hour, asking her about her relationship with his father and his childhood and listened as she shared stories. 

“You know, it wasn’t a perfect moment where I fell for your father.” Gabriel, now sitting at the island in jeans and a t-shirt drinking a glass of red wine, scoffed.

“Yeah right, Em. You know you were swooned the first time we met.” She laughed.

“If that’s what you tell yourself, Gabe.” She turned to Adrien. “He was a waiter at this coffee shop near the campus of my university, and he tripped and spilled a hot coffee on my research paper. The research paper I had been working on for months and was due the next day! He spent the night at the library with me, helping me rewrite my essay and I actually ended up getting an A on it. He wasn’t just a pretty face like I had thought.” His father awed.

“You said you think I’m pretty!” She smiled softly. 

“Don’t let it get to your big head, honey.” He stood up and hugged her from behind.

“You love this big head.” She hummed.

“I do.” They kissed sweetly and gently. Adrien had never seen his parents so affectionate. That’s when he realized that these really weren’t his parents. They are telling stories that never really happened. 

“Adrien, can you strain the spaghetti?” He snapped out of his thoughts and nodded.

 

Marinette wasn’t used to being under so much pressure. She felt exhausted with the bright lights making her feel sweaty, her joints aching from the unnatural poses, and her vision spotty from the flashing of the cameras. But finally, it was over, and she just hoped she had done a good job.

When she got back to the mansion, she told Nathalie she was heading to bed early when she really was going to meet with Chat.

Feeling released from the chains of responsibility and pressure of perfection, she swung across the dark night of Paris. She finally got to the Eiffel Tower, gazing over the dots of lights below her. Suddenly she heard a thump behind her.

“Chat Noir,” she greeted. He looked extremely nervous.

“My Lady…” She felt a pang in her heart, seeing him so distressed.

“What’s wrong, Chat? Talk to me.” He rubned the back of his neck

“You’ll believe me if I told you I was hit by an akuma, right?” She was suddenly very concerned.

“There’s an akuma out? You got hit? Are you okay?” He shook his hands out in front of him.

“No not. Not now. But. Okay. I got hit by an akuma and it has sent me to an alternate universe.” She froze.

“Adrien?” His eyes went wide.

“Ladybug, how did… did I…” she sighed.

“Tikki, Spots Off.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “We need to talk.”


	4. Pieces Connected

“Shit shit shit! Ugh shit.” Marinette wouldn’t stay still, so Adrien, now detransformed, called out softly, 

“Hey calm down. This isn’t a bad thing, right? Now we have more answers.” She turned back towards him as she stopped her pacing.

“Calm down? Chat-Adrien-ChAT FUCK! We weren’t supposed to know!” She laughed, panicked. “We weren’t supposed to know, Chat. A-and if we were to mutually decide it was the time to reveal our identities, it was supposed to be a special thing. It was supposed to be after the final battle, alone and proud of our hard work together, ready to know who we have been fighting alongside. It would be the special moment where we would detransform and it would be something I’d cherish for the rest of my life. This sure isn’t it!” He took a sharp breath.

“Are you disappointed?” She looked up to him.

“Oh God, is that what you interpreted from all of that? Adrien, I’m not disappointed. I would never be disappointed it’s you. I’m ecstatic that I haven’t had a creepy thirty year old hitting on me for the last three years…” She gasped. “You’re Chat!” He nodded slowly.

“I thought we established that.” She shook her head.

“It’s all registering now. I’ve thrown Adrien Agreste off of buildings. Adrien Agreste was my first kiss. God, you’ve been here this whole time risking your life for me everyday, even though you had to deal with my shallow and horrible rejections, still being there even after I didn’t truly give you a chance, and I didn’t know it was you.” She turned to the taller boy. “Adrien, I’m so glad it’s you. I’m really, really glad. I’m sorry I haven’t been a better partner.” 

“Marinette, we’ve both made mistakes. It’s okay. I’ve been jealous and reckless and impulsive and that’s not okay either. Blinded by my feelings for you, I caused a fucking akuma. I have been really petty, and I really hope you can forgive my past. But you know, we are stupid teens. We really are. Even with all this Ladybug Chat Noir stuff, we’re still stupid teens that are still learning and there’s nothing we can do but be better in the future and not make the mistakes we have before. We are both imperfect and we will find how to bring the best out in each other. I can promise you that.” 

“Jesus, we’re a pretty fucked up bunch aren’t we?” He laughed and nodded.

“We are. We really are.” They both laughed and laughed until their ribs hurt. When the laughter died down, she laid her head on his shoulder as they looked out at the view. She like she was meant to be there, his arm wrapping tighter around her tiny waist. 

“Everything is going to be okay, Bugaboo. At least we now know why we were both hit.” She nodded but then quickly pulled away.

“Wait, if I’m here, and you’re here, does that mean that our Paris is without Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

“Crap. You’re right. We have to get back as soon as we can. But how do we do that?” She tapped her foot as she thought.

“I… uh you could use Miraculous Ladybug?” He shook his head.

“I stood there like an idiot trying to call out what ended up being an embarrassing ‘Miraculous Chat Noir’ and the miraculous cure swept the city.” She sighed.

“That doesn’t even make sense. Your power is destruction,” she complained. He shrugged.

“I don’t know. Maybe if we switch Miraculouses it will work? Because it has to be you that does the cure?” She nodded as she thought.

“I guess we can try that. But how will you get away with the whole earrings thing. You’re not really an earrings guy.” He let out a breath as he thought.

“I could go through a phase? You know, wear more black. Put in the earrings as a sort of teenage rebellion thing?” She sighed but nodded because it was a good idea. She got out her wallet and gave him the 300 euros that she had. 

“Use this to buy whatever you want, because I’m guessing you don’t have those clothes on hand.” He shook his head.

“I cannot take this.” She shoved the money back to him.

“I insist. I don’t need it. It’s not like I’m going anywhere where I can spend it.” He sighed and took it from her, shoving it into his pocket. He looked over to their kwamis.

“You guys have been pretty quiet over there. Everything alright?” Tikki bounced in her own way of nodding.

“We didn’t want to interrupt such a big moment.” Plagg looked at the red kwami with admiration.

“And it’s been a long time since we’ve gotten some alone time.” Plagg snuggled into Tikki, a gentleness that Adrien had never seen from the demanding kwami.

“We should really get home. Should we switch now?” He nodded taking off his ring and handing it to her.

“Take good care of Plagg for me, okay?” She smiled and took off her earrings.

“And I know Tikki will take good care of you.” As he realized that he’d need to pierce his ears, he looked up to see Marinette was already batoning her way across the city back to her house. Sighing he went down the elevators of the Eiffel Tower, and going the walk back to the bakery.

When his father came downstairs asking why Adrien was in the bakery at 22:00, he explained he had a craving for something sweet. His father, too tired to ask questions, told him to get one of the rejects and go back to bed and be more quiet the next time. Adrien agreed and went to his room.

 

The next day was a Saturday, so Adrien had the free time to go shopping for his “new wardrobe.” With a bag full of band tees, skinny ripped jeans, and black hair dye, he came home, avoiding his parents in the bakery.

With a now stained towel, and a sink he’ll have to clean up later, his hair was black. Now the hardest part, the ear piercing.

His knee bounced with anxiety as Tikki came flying back from her journey around the house to find a needle. Adrien wiped the needle with alcohol, as well as his ear lobe. 

“And you’ve done this before? Right?” Tikki gave him a look of disbelief.

“I’m an immortal being that’s main connection to the world is in a pair of earrings. I’ve pierced a few ears throughout my lifetime.” Adrien nodded nervously. 

“Just do it, okay? Quick and simple.” Tikki didn’t count down, she didn’t even warn him, she just stuck the needle into his ear. Surprisingly, he felt nothing. 

“Doing okay, Adrien?” He furrowed his brows.

“Did you already do it?” She smiled.

“I did! Next ear.” With the new holes in his lobes, he slipped in the earrings. Looking in the mirror, he felt like someone new. Being a model, he never got the freedom to do something like this. It’s not like he wanted to, but something in him had always wanted to be something rather than the face of Gabriel Agreste’s fashion line. It felt freeing to just do something different. Slipping on a graphic white tee and black jeans he took in this new Adrien. The Adrien he’s going to have to be at least until the next akuma. 

The now black haired boy didn’t notice how much time had gone by until he saw the clock read 15:49. He remembered he had promise to help with the evening shift so he headed downstairs, praying that his parents wouldn’t hound him too much with his new look.

 

Marinette sat in the large dining room, alone again. She was encompassed by the thoughts she never had to face, and the deafening silence that reminded her of her soul crushing loneliness. She wasn’t hungry anymore, meaninglessly scraping at the half eaten plate of roasted vegetables and poached salmon. She pulled out her phone. Knowing that Adrien had a life outside of her, she reluctantly called Chloe. The blonde girl answered, wearing a baggy t-shirt, her face makeupless. 

“Hey Mari. What’s up?” She sighed.

“I guess I just wanted to talk to someone.” Chloe nodded as she snacked on wasabi peas.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you at all in the last couple of days. What’s kept you so busy?” Marinette blew air out of her nose as she laughed internally. What could she say? “I’ve just been spending a lot of time with Adrien.” Chloe raised an eyebrow.

“Agreste? You mean the ass that made you cry?” Marinette shook her head.

“It really wasn’t like that. He really has the best intentions.” Chloe’s infamous judgement morphed into a softer expression.

“I know you like him. He’s just… he isn’t what you need.” Marinette was now confused.

“What do you mean?” The ponytailed girl scoffed.

“He obviously doesn’t see you for you. The way he talks about you is really obsessive and he obviously doesn’t truly know you. He idealized you into this perfect model girl with the perfect life and he hasn’t bothered to actually get to know you until now because he had been so worked up on this dream girl he created in his mind. I mean before like a week ago he couldn’t even get a good sentence out to you.” Marinette never saw herself that way until Chloe pointed that out. This wasn’t Chloe maliciously trying to bring her down. This is a girl who genuinely wants the best for her friend. This is what her behavior looks like to an outsider. She realized that this wasn’t ever going to be acceptable and she was holding herself back from ever being with Adrien with her perception of him. He was never going to be the flawless, always kind, says everything right guy she thought he was. He was Chat Noir and he was Adrien and he was so much more than she could ever had imagined.

“He’s a good guy. He has changed for the better. Really. I’ve really started to get to know him.” Chloe sighed but smiled softly.

“You know I just want the best for you.” Marinette smiled back.

“I know you do. So, tell me all about that date you had with Sabrina.” 

“Total disaster. There was a bee in the flowers I got her and it stung her, and it turns out Sabrina is really allergic to bees. She had to epi-pen herself and we spent the rest of the night in the hospital. Of course I paid for the whole thing because it was totally my fault. We did eat some hospital pudding and watch the movie on my phone, though. It wasn’t what I hoped but she had fun hanging out with me and said she looked forward to the next one. There’s going to be a next one!” Marinette had never seen Chloe so genuine and happy. Had Marinette really done that much good in the girl’s life?

“I’m really happy for you, Chloe.” Nathalie cleared her throat as she stood in the doorway.

“Marinette, say goodbye to Mademoiselle Bourgoeis. You have homework to finish.” Marinette sighed but waved to the blonde girl.

“Talk to you later.” Marinette got up from the table and headed to her bedroom as she felt the overwhelming loneliness take over her again.

After hours of seemingly endless worksheets and book reviews and essays, she heard a knock on the door.

“Yes Nathalie?” She called out, not looking from her desk. 

“Actually, Marinette, it’s me.” Surprised, her head shot up.

“Papa?” He held his hands behind his back, standing with utmost posture she had never seen him have before.

“I have been informed of your courtship with M. Agreste. I would like you to invite him for dinner with us tomorrow at 18:00 sharp.” Marinette, still taken aback by her father’s composure, gave him a thumbs up.

“I will tell him of your invitation as soon as I can.” He nodded.

“Good. Tell him to dress for the occasion.” And with that he exited. Marinette scrambled to find her phone and called Adrien. She was shocked to see his new appearance when he appeared on her screen.

“Hey Marinette.” Something about his new look really caught her attention in ways she didn’t expect. The darkness of his new hair complemented the delicate green of his eyes. The earrings gave him an edge that she had only seen in him through Chat Noir. He seemed happier.

“Hey Adrien. So papa, he wants you to, well he, Nathalie must’ve heard me and Chloe, and well, he wants to meet you.” Adrien raised his eyebrows.

“Oh right. Because we are…” 

“What are we, exactly?” Marinette blurted. “I’m sorry it’s just, I feel like the other night we kind of skipped over the whole ‘we both have feelings for each other’ thing and we are kind of in relationship limbo right now.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

“I think we should take it slow. Right? I mean we’ve known each other for three years as our other selves, but we are just starting to get to know each other as our real selves.” Marinette frowned slightly.

“But are you not yourself when you’re Chat? Do you turn into someone completely different or are you still deep down the person you always have been? Because even though Ladybug is a different version of me, she’s still me, you know? The things I told you as Ladybug, those were real truths. The trust we have, that’s real. Do you not feel that way?” Adrien really paused as realization dawned on him. She was right. Chat may have been a more confident version of him, a more free version of him, but he still was him, and he loved Ladybug, and he loved her no matter what.

“You’re right. You’re really right. So we really… you and I we…?” She nodded.

“We are.” He smiled widely. “Papa wants you here tomorrow at 18:00 but you should come early. Oh and dress nice.” Still a bit dazed from their new relationship status, he nodded. “I’ll text you a reminder tomorrow too. Okay?” 

“Okay, Princess.”


	5. The End

I'm really having a tough time right now, and I don't have any writing inspiration for my stories on here right now. I've got so much to do with since it's my junior year so I have to keep up my grades, prepare for college auditions, get my driver's permit and get ready for my SATs. But, I didn't want to leave this story open and never say how I wanted it to end.

-In the next chapter, Adrien was going to go over to the Dupain mansion and Tom wouldn't approve of him at first but Adrien expresses his advanced knowledge of fashion and he's like "huh interesting"  
-Adrien accidentally mentions that Marinette is amazing at designing clothes, which this Marinette never had done before.  
-Tom is obviously very interested in this new information, and asks Marinette to tell him more.  
-She just kind of word vomits like "oh well fashion stuff and designs I've been working on and how I'm so inspired by the Ag... the Dupain fashion lines." and he's like "huh. You'll have to show me."  
-Tom asks Adrien general "what are your intentions with my daughter" stuff and "are you just using her for the fame and popularity" and Adrien is a greenbean and like "nonono I really like Marinette and she's an amazing person. One of the most courageous and kind people I know." And Tom is like "hm.,,, ok."  
-Tom would ask like a really cryptic and random question and that ends up being his deciding factor for if they can date.  
-At the end of the dinner, Tom wants to meet Adrien's parents and Adrien is like "mhm yup ok that sounds good" 

I didn't really know where to go off from there, chapter wise, but here are some of the ideas I had:

-More Adrien having some Chat Noir bleed into his new self now that he looks edgy  
-Expansion on the Ladybug and Chat Noir of this universe. I don't know if you noticed in the leaf blower episode, but his Lucky Charm was destructive. The fire is definitely not a Ladybug sort of Lucky Charm.  
-More Adrien and Nino bonding, because in this universe they've been BFFs since they were kids.  
-More Chloe expansion because now she's a chill, protective, queen who I sort of shoed in some Chlobrina because I know I would never support Chlobrina in the canon but I can do Whatever I Want in this alternate universe.  
-Okay but imagine the whole Chat Noir going to Marinette's balcony fan fic trope, but with Ladybug sneaking out from the mansion to visit baker boy Adrien Agreste. !!

Okay but the big thing I knew was how this story was going to end.

I had a similar idea to this when I had written a body swap short film with my ex boyfriend that I never got to finish because we broke up.

Okay, so the more time they spend in this alternate universe, the more memories they gain from each other's lives and these alternate universe Marinette and Adrien. Then, Hawkmoth stops doing Hawkmoth stuff because Marinette and Tom bond and move on from her mother's death. Adrien is a happy boi with his alive parents. Marinette has to do a big America modeling thing, and she trusts that Paris isn't going to get hit by any more akumas, and she isn't even the one who purifies the akumas anymore. She goes, and with all the time that Adrien and Marinette are apart, they gain all of their new memories and basically forget their real selves and get back together being still dating but no recollection of the old universe. 

I wish I could continue this story, but I really don't see myself continuing to write it.

Thanks for reading :)


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